Charamari: Lonesome Hearts
by pinkit-chan
Summary: Six years later after Easter was defeated and Amu has just graduated High School, what can mend her lonely heart after no word from Ikuto for the last six years? What shall she choose to be? Will they reunite? Amu/Ikuto Utau/Kukai
1. Chapter 1

Oh Gosh! WOW! O.k. so I am finally back to writing even if it's not my regular dogboy puppy love stories.

I decided to go with some Amu/Ikuto for a change, I feel we are really missing a good angsty story that involves these two. How about it? want to embark with me on a little journey thru my jumbled mind and creative ideas for this unplanned monster? (yes a monster, it was supposed to be a one-shot but it kinda imploded in one day on that idea of that and has some more chapters in the making already).

So then yeah, I do **NOT** own Shugo Chara or Sony or Anggun or her kick-ass lyrics.

**Peach-Pit owns Shugo Chara** ;-)

_OST for this chapter: Anggun - Still Reminds me_

Without further Adou I present the first chapter to my anime continuation story: **Chara-mari: Lonesome Hearts**

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**Chapter 1: Memories on Fast-Forward:**

**March 10****th**** 2014, Seiyo Senior High School.**

**Leo Constellation Class**

The students chatted excitedly amongst themselves, everybody was happy they were finally graduating 6 long years of hard work and studying finally paid off. Only one student in the class was not externalizing her relief of having finished Senior High School.

How could she celebrate? Her best friend was overseas and had very little time to write her an email. The girl with strawberry blond colored hair, and light caramel colored eyes cupped her chin in her hand and sighed as she looked out the classroom window. Rima who had begged her parents so she could stay behind in Japan for the rest of her schooling meanwhile they were relocated to another foreign country due to business, snapped a picture of Amu while observed her.

All the guardians were attending college. Tadase had chosen political science. Rima, Nagegiko and Amu had selected performing arts. Apparently Nadeshiko had also followed into that career overseas. Just like Utau had, another good friend to her.

Now that school was over life would speed up for them, they would become full time students at college. The shugo charas were still alive and running about, thank God, since she would not know how to cope without her personas next to her. But life next to Tadase-kun had become repetitive, "_yes I know it sounds like a 40 year old marriage, but what other way to describe it, we did the same things over and over, nothing ever changed, no surprises at all, just flat boring girlfriend/boyfriend friendship if you can call it that. 'He has been respectful, nice and all around boooring! Now don't get me wrong, he is a nice guy a great friend but too happy go lucky for my tastes' He gave me moral support when the pain of missing "Nageshiko" got unbearable. The truth is that I have missed Ikuto dearly… being with Tadase I dunno, we are together, but not together-together if you know what I mean. He respects me and my family, so to even think of getting out of line and hugging of kissing me God forbid! Well anyway, what I feel that I miss is the spontaneity from the unplanned moments when Ikuto would visit me. My relationship is like an extended friendship he claims he loves me and all, he is extremely sweet, handsome, and sincere, shy all a little prince. But now that I think about it, it may sound harsh, but I think I was just infatuated with the idea of liking the cutest guy in school, Tadase of course. Now that I have him I can stop thinking about a tall dark and handsome stranger I met one day as he pushed me off a construction building. 'I must be going postal…for sure'_

_Everything reminds me of him, he is rude, insensitive, a prankster to boot, but he saved me numerous times and came to me when he most needed it, well his chara brought him to me but it's the same since he stayed with me when he woke up and realized where he was. He was just looking for someone he could trust in, someone that would take care of him, and I did, and the truth is that I loved doing it. Even if at the moment I was infatuated with the idea of being with Tadase sentimentally, I now consider the guy a long passed crush. Other than that I've seen how he stares at this girl in class and that is fine, if he comes clean and tells me he wants to break-up I wont give him any grief I prefer him as a friend._

Rima, who has busy socializing with the rest of their classmates, stared at me as I sighed and looked out the classroom window. I didn't even notice when she took a picture of me with her orange cell phone at all. I was busy remembering the dream I had last night of a lonely black cat, _it reminded me of you… "Ikuto"_ the girl murmured under her breath as she sighed again and plopped back against the backrest of her chair.

Far away in a quant suburb villa stood a figure in the garden under the last rays of sunlight and the first whispers of moonlight as he played a plaintive lonely tune on a fiddle. His azure hair whipped around his troubled frown in the gentle breeze. The melody he played spoke of a lonely heart the pain could be felt on each cord, lately everything reminded him of her. The orchids that were planted by the doorway of the villa were _the same color of her strawberry blond hair_, the rays of sun that glossed off the strings of his violin seemed to be the same color of her golden eyes, _in which if you looked long enough into you could loose your soul for all infinity…_

What he most remembered was her innocent blush, the heat that rose to her cheeks every time he said something bold warmed his heart even if he couldn't bring himself to accept it. He squeezed his eyes closed as he continued playing his violin, the strokes of music coming quicker and more jumbled as he remembered the day he teased her on her balcony and nibbled her ear, he wasn't able to stop himself, the towel she wore showed off a large expanse of her peaches and cream complexion and how it glowed after a hot bath, _she squealed in surprise when he bit her earlobe._ He bit his lower lip remembering the feeling of the smallest inch of her skin under his bandit perusal. It satisfied him that she turned that shade of red only for him.

He also remembered the day at the abandoned carnival in the spinning teacup ride,

the day she brought him taiyaki,

the day he woke up to find himself sleeping next to her,

the day she got stuck in the bathroom as he showered because she ordered him to clean the wound he got from changing into Death Rebel while being manipulated by Easter, soon after to be discovered by her mother, _then to tell Tadase the truth of why he was there and how long he had been when he came looking for her._

The truth is that he was jealous that Tadase could still be innocent and carefree _and be able to experience an untroubled youth and fall in love without having to answer to anybody else for your actions._

The melody morphed into surges of anger as he remembered the day Tadase confessed to her. A string he had held down too tight snapped cutting the soft flesh on the tip of his finger. The string curled at the neck of the fiddle dripping blood on the mahogany tint of the music instrument. He tilted his head back and savored the pain, even if it were uncomfortable it reminded him that he was alive and that the small moments of happiness he experienced being close to her were real and were memories he could cherish.

A small black cat hovered around him and snapped a picture of him with a cell phone, he looked for a contact on the phone directory, Rima and sent an email with the picture as an attachment.

Another lean and tall figure approached Ikuto; they could be twins if his father didn't have peppered dark hair. "Son you grilled yet another string? That is the fifth one this week…are you sure you don't want to go back, at least to visit her? You can make up an excuse of going to see your sister."

He sighed and turned toward his father, "I am not sure yet father, with what I did and what she said I think a reunion between us would be an awkward situation right now." He silently counted the months since his sisters' last visit, "will Utau visit you soon?

The older man ran his open palm over his five'o clock shadow and pocketed his fists afterwards, "she might, I sent her a message asking her to visit us, and she said she would try to fit Paris into the schedule for her upcoming tour at "Le Rouge Amphitheater", that way she would have an excuse to come to France. She mentioned something about bringing her boyfriend so I could meet him, I think his name is Kukai?"

Ikuto nodded and grinned the brat had finally made Utau accept him as a suitor. He was brave to try. "I am glad they are together actually, that weird puppy love she held for me was so sick in so many ways…"

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_**Please Read and Review! **_

-A few words that you consider nothing are worth gold to a writer!

Until next time, Ja Ne!

_**Pinkit!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Love in the Big Leagues

Hai Hai! I am back to deliver the second of many chapters for this story!

A big **Thank You** to all the lovely readers that have added me to their favorite author's/favorite story list! Lots of love to you all! Thank you for reading my crazy ideas, it really does mean a lot to me to hear for you. I'm flattered by the fact that you guys like my story so much!

**Ok so for this chapter a small explanation:** all the characters of the original **Peach-Pit Chugo Shara** story have aged.

Yaya is 17 years old, since she was a year younger in the manga/anime.

Amu and the rest of the high school graduating party are 18 years old. (This includes Tadase, Kairi, Nadeshiko/Nagihiko, and Rima).

Kukai is 20 years old.

Utau is 22 years old.

Ikuto is 23 years old.

Ok, that being said, all except Yaya are legally adults, so please no flames on _limey/lemony_ situations that you can be sure to expect in the future. My story is rated **M **or **X** for a reason.

Utau is now a popular singer (think Gwen Stefani-ish kind), and owns a recording label named **Pacific Moon**, thanks to the skilled Mrs. Yukari which is still her manager, who is now married to Nikaido-sensei since chapter 48 of the manga. (Everybody should know, its old news anyway).

Kukai is a Soccer Playing Superstar just like he always dreamt it, and plays for "El Real Madrid Football Club."

Ikuto is a popular Violinist, just like his father, and has built a name for himself in the musical world just like his sister. He also hosts concerts as an independent artist and plays with his fathers' musical trio from time to time.

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Shugo Chara, or Sony, or Anggun, or Porsche, or Gwen Stefani, or El Real Madrid Football Club, or the Pacific Moon recording label.

**Peach-Pit owns Shugo Chara.**

_OST for this chapter: __**Crazy – Anggun**_(a great song! You might want to listen to it while you read this!)

On towards the fun stuff!

**-- Chara Mari: Lonesome Hearts – **

**Chapter 2:**** Love in the Big Leagues.**

Three days later after Amu's High School Graduation ceremony.

Current setting: the Commercial District of Tokyo, Japan.

Time: 2:04 p.m.

Location: Pacific Moon Records recording studio.

A voluptuous tanned pig-tailed blond, belted out the next line of a song into a ceiling mounted microphone as she pressed the noise cancelling headset to her ears. She grooved and bopped along to the catchy tune for her new single, "Crazy" to which she had come up with the simple but catchy lyrics to while she texted her sweetheart one day.

"**You know that it's true…ain't no body else I am crazy for you, It's all about you, everybody knows that I'm crazy for you, you know that its true I wanna show the world that I am crazy for you It's all about you, everything you do makes me crazy for you, for you"**

She hummed and moaned the next few lines as the beat surged and quelled. IL and El danced hovering around in the background inside the control booth next to Yukari, Utau's manager, until Utau's cell phone beeped signaling an incoming message. El flipped it open as IL read the message:

_**Forwarded message from Rima:**_

_Utau, I received this message from Yoru a few days ago, we need to come up with plan to get these two to get back together sooner than not. Amu-chan is sad, and I don't like to see her sad, I bet you know that your brother is suffering because he misses her too, I would do it myself, but my parents which I consider have become some sort of a bother right now to my plan, have requested for me to visit them while I'm on vacation before I start college. I leave Amu-chan in your care until then._

_P.S: don't you dare let Ikuto break Amu-chan's heart, if he does there will be __**CONSEQUENSES!!!**_

Utau scrolled down to the next message huffing in the process, the nerve of that dwarf to threaten her.

_**Original message from Ikuto T.:**_

"_Yo-nya! Long time no see-nya! Make sure to have Utau bring the X-girl with her if she books Paris as a confirmed stop for her tour-nya my Ikuto is sure lonely-nya, I bet he misses her-nya! See you soon-nya! Yoru."_

El squealed as she saw the sloppy taken picture that accompanied the email received Ikuto's pain stricken face. "Oh! I can definitely feel it! Four bars of romance, angst and love reception! I as the _Ang-EL_ _of Love _must do something to reunite this lost looove! Let's get to it IL!"

IL snickered as she watched EL typed a text message to one of the favorite numbers on Utau's cell phone:

"_Oi Amu-chan! Meet me at the café in the mall tonight. Utau ;-9 "_

Soon after the sound producer signaled for Utau that it was a good take and wrapped it up. He held down the control to project his voice in the recording booth:

"Good Utau, that one is a keeper, it's a wrap! You can leave now." Utau nodded and bowed her thanks to the producer as she walked out of the booth, and then she smiled as Yukari congratulated her while she placed a water bottle and towel in her waiting hands. "Excellent voice as always Utau-chan."

Yukari pointed to IL and El, "these two have been fumbling with your phone, you better find out what they are planning."

IL and EL dived in front of Yukari blocking her from further telling on them and so to explain the situation that Amu and Ikuto were in to Utau in their own words, Utau then flipped thru the messages and the picture from Yoru. "My poor onii-chan is in so much pain over her?!" Of course old habits die hard. "That little-!" she stopped herself before saying something she would regret later, Amu was her friend now after all.

"Yukari-sempai, what can we do to help these two how do we get them to realize they are being thick-headed?"

Yukari tapped her chin then snapped her fingers, "bring her on tour with you; we will reunite them when we host the concert in Paris!" Yukari clapped her hands this would be a perfect time to repay Amu and the rest of the Guardians for getting her and Nikaido-sensei back together again. She scrolled thru her cell phone contacts and made a few calls, an envelope was delivered to her within the next half hour.

El squealed and IL rubbed her hands together there would be plenty of time to play tricks on them for sure.

After they had a part of the plan brewed up Yukari bid a short goodbye to Utau as she handed the star the envelope she had requested to have delivered to the studio for Utau to take with her on the small meeting with Amu. Soon after Kukai showed up to drive Utau back to her luxurious penthouse apartment which had been gifted to her including all expenses paid - by the Easter Corporation as a token of appreciation and payment for all damage done by the previous Boss, she looked herself in the cars' vanity mirror while she explained the plan to Kukai to see if it was fail-proof enough for them to try to work it out.

"So since IL and El texted Amu to meet up with me tonight at the café I'll take advantage of the occasion to invite her to tour with me, while I release my new CD she won't expect that I am actually setting her up with my brother, right?" the blond asked as she looked over at her boyfriend who was currently driving.

"Sounds good angel, those two deserve a chance, I do feel sorry for Tadase since I am agreeing to help out in this, but he has had her next to him long enough and she still ain't happy. Ikuto and Amu-chan deserve a shot at love if that is what it is to feel this way…" with that said he put his finger under Utau's chin and brought his lips down to meet hers for a chaste kiss, then he caressed them with his fingers.

"Mmm…I can't get enough of these lips, you make me fall more and more in love with you everyday baby"

Utau moaned longingly as she pulled Kukai down by his dog tags for another series of chaste kisses nibbling his lips as a promise for more as soon as they got to her place, "do you know what you do to me when you kiss me like that champ? Hmm?" the lovers were soon interrupted by the angry blowing horns the drivers parked behind them blew in long intervals with which they were letting them know the traffic light had changed colors a while ago, IL snickered "jijiji" then winked at EL and EL blushed as she squealed, columns of steam coming out of her ears from watching the love scene. She collapsed in the back seat mumbling something about maxed-out love meters.

Daichi smirked as he egged Kukai on, "show them Kukai!" and Kukai cranked the engine of his lime green 2006 Porsche Carrera GT then gunned it forward driving his car like a bat out of hell, the car was a little toy he bought himself with his first paycheck after being scouted by the "El Real Madrid Football Club" a year ago.

The car drifted smoothly down a steep sloped road then up a small hill finally arriving at their destination. Utau's apartment building, He accompanied her up and ended up lounging on her bed surfing thru the satellite T.V. channels looking for something to watch while she freshened up. She found him in that same position when she came out wearing a dark ruffled skirt and yellow button down shirt ensemble accessorized with an extra large belt and black colored wedges detailed in ruffled fabric across her dainty feet; she crawled atop the bed towards him and plucked the remote out of his hand.

"C'mon Kukai I don't want to be late to meet Amu, or then she will leave thinking I stood her up and then she will feel more depressed or something." She pouted, crossing her arms under her generous sized chest holding the remote in her hand as she flopped down next to him on the bed. Kukai launched himself atop of her flipping her over in the process, her skirt ridding dangerously high atop her supple creamy thighs, he playfully tapped his watch, "Hmm it looks to me like it's still early, what do you say we play a game U-ta-u?" he smirked as he snatched back the remote and tapped it on his chin, "lets call it, 'what-happens-to-hot-babes-that-take-the-remote-away-from-their-boyfriends" he said as he tossed the control behind him and while he caressed her cheeks, licking his lips in the process.

"What happens to hot babes that take the remote away from their boyfriends? What kind of name for a game is that Kukai? What happens if they do?" she said as she sat up bucking him off in the process.

"Why that is simple" he said as he propped his head on his up-stretched arm, "they get punished!" he screamed in playful banter as he tackled her to the bed and while he tickled, teased, and kiss her senseless. Then he sat back on his heels with a smug look on his face as he observed how hot and bothered she looked.

"I think I should call you kitty-kat instead of an angel you sure look like one right now." He said a smile adorning his handsome face.

Utau resembled one of those Himalayan cats with her hair sticking up all over the place and her beautiful face scrunched up in a frown, she huffed and flipped her hair over her shoulder, little bat wings appearing atop her pig tails, "actually lover, it goes kind of something like this!" she said as she jumped atop Kukai and smothered him in passionate kisses and caresses, then she crawled off bed and winked at him over her shoulder then walked back into the bathroom. Kukai was left on the bed blushing three different shades of red, and his blood pounding thru his veins as he felt a certain region under his belt stand high and mighty. He raised his head off the bed to inspect the damage, "Damn angel the things you do to me…" he managed to grunt before she closed the bathroom door leaving him wanting for more of her touch. Utau giggled behind the closed door as she put her hand atop her racing heart. Then she looked herself in the mirror and growled, "Kukai! Look what you did to my hair!" she managed to scream thru the door rattling it on its hinges. She could hear his peals of laughter from inside the bathroom.

"Oi! Angel it looks to me as thou we are even then!" he laughed some more, as he knew she would be furiously running a brush thru her pigtails.

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Please Read & Review!

Ja Ne!

_**-Pinkit!**_


	3. Chapter 3: Walking the thin line

**Author's Notes:**_ /sighs/ _This had to be the hardest filler chapter to come up with ever. LOL, sorry it took me so long to get my act together and update.

I do **NOT** own Shugo Chara. **Peach-Pit** does.

OST for this chapter: **Pink – Try too Hard**, and then **Pet Shop Boys-Love Etc**.

Please remember to leave me a review if you like the story, let me know what you think?

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**-Chara Mari: Lonesome Hearts-**

**-Chapter 3: The thin line between communication and suffocation**

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**-****That same evening in a middle-upper class Tokyo condo uptown:**

A toned-built but voluptuous strawberry blond young lady slouched against her folded arms a top her desk.

She observed an item with sick fascination as she leaned her chin over her arms.

about a foot away a small entity sat there looming over her like a shady tree on Halloween night.

She felt as thou it laughed at her, every time it jolted,

She dreaded when it's green lights flashed.

Got a chill down her spine when she felt it start vibrating atop the wooden surface.

The hot pink shell an eyesore to her at times.

Her cell phone which she had decided to leave on "vibrate" after too many calls zoomed round and round on her desk as she received another mail from him.

"Tadase-kun...." she read on the small outer display.

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_**Message from T. Hotori:**_

_Amu-chan, I love you. _

_What are you doing, do you mind if I call your home, _

_I've mailed and texted you before, maybe you are asleep, _

_if not, mail me back, i would like to hear from you. _

_Tadase._

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She sighed, breathing out heavily thru her mouth as she sent the message to join the rest of the ten emails he had sent her today to the folder labeled _**Tadase-kun**_.

Whether it was day or night, too early or too late, a holiday or any regular day, she could sure expect a batch of calls, text messages, or emails from him. In the beginning she thought herself lucky, and that it was cool that he was being such a dedicated boyfriend. Then after a few months she felt he was a little too communicative, then he started posting on her social web pages, after that she started feeling- what could she use as a descriptive here? **exposed**, no not exposed.

**Suffocated**, yeah thats the perfect descriptive word for how she was feeling right now. She now had to screen her phone calls. It wasn't that he was a stalker, or very short of becoming one; since the day he appeared at her front door at a wee too early time in the morning saying he was there to take her out on a date.

Miki, who was currently sketching Amu's troubled facade crossed her arms "You need to put a stop to this Amu-chan, you don't even get together with the rest of the gang anymore because of him."

Su waved her whisk in the air, "Oh dear Amu-chan, how did it go wrong? why is he this way? is there anyway you can fix it?"

Ran waltzed around in front of the mirror puffing her hair with her pompoms. "He likes me, he really likes me!" she said the only one oblivious to her owners true issues with the guy right now. Referring to the confession from Tadase that day at the ski-slopes.

Dia corked an eyebrow at Ran and leaned against the offending phone device. "Amu-chan sometimes the star you first decided to follow is not the one you end up with in the end. Sometimes a stars' radiance dies down after a while. Then you can see its not so much of a star path you want to choose afterwards."

Amu swung around in her ergonomic chair "I guess you are right Dia, it's not the same, the fact is that I was first enamored with his cool outer persona, now that I truely know him, I think...I-"

She was cut off as her phone zoomed round and round again signaling another message.

Amu cringed as she reached for it to answer, then she thought of turning it off before reading the new message _"it would be from Tadase-kun surely anyways"_ and curled her fingers back just before hitting the power button.

_'But what if its someone else, maybe a email from Nadeshiko?!'_

Amu held her breathe as she picked it up and read the outer display,

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_**Message from **_

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"Utau!" Amu squealed excitedly as she flicked open her phone to read the message,

"Yay! at last communication from another live entity!"

Amu flipped open her phone and dived on the bed munching on pocky as she played with her hair, and listened to music as she read the message her friend had sent her.

_"Oi! Amu chan, meet me at the cafe at the mall__ t__onight, Utau ;-9"_

Amu smiled as she quickly typed up a response for Utau.

"_Hi Utau-chan it would be nice to be able to hang out again; I'll be waiting in the same café as always! Amu"_

She made sure the message was sent and then kicked off the bed asking her charas what to wear to the impromptu girl-thing at the mall.

"So guys we are meeting up with Utau at the mall what should I wear?" Miki and Ran cheered and Su said "something cute!" as they pointed to a thigh high stretch jean dress, her leather Mary Jane booties and lacey white stockings along with a tan colored beret to polish off the look.

She finished dressing up and ran downstairs holding her booties in her hand where she found her mama and told her she would be going to the mall for a while tonight, as she finished putting on her shoes in the genkan.

She observed her little sister iddly while she secured the leather straps on her shoes. Ami who was now going to start sixth grade next semester had grown into a very pretty girl, her complexion the same as Amu's - peaches and cream, the same honey colored eyes, Ami was almost identical to Amu when she was young, all but her long bronze colored hair which she wore in pigtails just like her idol Utau-chan, swung around as she sung to her hearts content along with the video game console her father had gifted them on Christmas while he took pictures to add to the already vast but growing collection.

Amu was glad her family was together and happy as always. Her family was her little piece of Heaven.

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**Later in the evening.**

**Location: Shibuya Shopping District. Shibuya Metroplaza Mall**

A while later an expensive European sports cars' motor hummed as it pulled up to the curve of the Shibuya Metroplaza Mall, along the vast array of see-thru boutique displays and outdoor cafe shops. The car silently vibrated to the beat of its powerful engine, being that the driver had decided not to follow the mode dictated by a traffic sign on the corner and kill the engine while one of its passengers got off.

The door popped open, a delicate manicured hand gripped the door as a pair of dainty feet wearing black wedge platform sandals appeared behind the vacant space, soon followed by a pair of shapely long creamy legs adorned with a dark jean ruffled skirt that whispered secrets every time the evening breeze caressed her form. Her pigtails iddly swaying in the breeze. She brushed a hand thru her side-sweeped bangs, then down her generous bust concealed by her puffy yellow blouse brushing away any invisible piece of lint and stepped up on the sidewalk.

Her curvy hips falling into a rhythm as she walked towards the double glass doors of the mall entrance. The last rays of daylight shinning off her designer sunglasses, and her suntanned skin.

Kukai lifted his sunglasses running a hand thru his messy spiked auburn tresses and propped both his muscular arms behind his head. Silently admiring his girlfriends womanly figure.

He wolf-whistled calling out to her afterwards, "Oi, angel! You' leavin' without giving me a goodbye kiss sugar?"

Utau stopped mid step looking over her shoulder devilishly smirking at Kukai, her glossy pink lips puckered blowing a kiss his way, then she raised her shades with her thumb and forefinger, to wink at him.

"Pick me up at nine o' clock sharp champ!"

Kukai saluted her as if he were a militia receiving an order, "yes ma'am" he joked agreeing to her petition, and gunned the engine, racing out of the pick-up/drop off ramp at the mall.

Utau giggled to herself _"that Kukai is sure something, I think I really do love him" _she sighed light heartedly and continued walking towards the mall entrance, IL and EL silently following behind her.

---

After an hour subway ride towards the Shibuya Shopping District, she arrived at the mall, calling her mother to tell her she was fine Amu stepped off the escalator on the second floor at the mall while she listened to the instrumental music that accompanied the interior minimalist decor. She was plucked out of her mental distraction by an azure shine that glistened out of the corner of her eye calling out to her and spiking her curiosity, later to find out it was just a happy couple walking by at the moment. The girls' boyfriend wore his azure hair in uneven spikes, a trend apparently.

"_Damn! This is bad, even that hair color reminds me of him…maybe Utau is going to surprise me with the news that Ikuto-kun is back…"_ Amu sighed '_A girl can only hope'_

She walked towards the entrance of the café she had promised to meet up with Utau at and walked in. EL waved her over to their table.

"EL the one and only extraordinary ang_-El_ of love senses four bars of loneliness from Amu!"

IL grinned the same as Utau and both of them winked at her, "I wonder why would that be?"

Amu blushed and looked away, "you don't have to make it so obvious, you could miss him too right, because he is your brother?"

The blond nodded "its different now, since I'm not crushing on him anymore. You on the other hand are coming apart at the seams…"

Amu sighed and laid her head down on her crossed arms on the table, feeling very small and insignificant.

Utau decided to change the subject seeing as Amu was so out of sorts, "So how is the graduated life treating you? Have you gotten a booklet for the prep course required for college yet?"

Amu shrugged and sighed again puffing her cheeks out, utterly bored. Utau slid something out from under her purse and held it in her hand tapping it with the other, an envelope of some sort. "then if you are so bored, let me make you an offer," the strawberry blond perked up at that and propped her chin in her cupped hand listening eagerly the spring would be long and oddly boring and repetitive next to Tadase and Nagihiko since Rima was going to which ever country her parents were living in to visit them before college started and Yaya was going to have to babysit her brother everyday since her mother started working again.

Oh and Kukai? Well when he wasn't on the field training for soccer meets ever since he got scouted by a seven digit paying soccer club he was spending time with his lovely sweetheart…A.K.A. the girl sitting in front of Amu at the moment, Utau. How they got together? it still was shady around the edges but Kukai had mumbled something about a playground and swings and kissing when Amu tried pinching it out of him.

"Then what are you doing for this summer? Staying home?" Amu shrugged again and sighed, "I don't know Utau since Rima will be visiting her parents, and Yaya will be babysitting her brother I'll hang out with my family, I guess."

Utau smirked and IL snickered, the blond tossed the envelope atop the table, a plane ticket sliding out of it landing a few inches from her slack hand. It read "First Class V.I.P member round trip seven destinations."

"Since you are now a legal adult, would you like to accompany me on my upcoming tour?"

Amu blinked and reached for the envelope, she read the contents of it making her eyes bulge, V.I.P passes to all seven concerts, locations still unnamed, a Priority Customs Pass card for the airport, V.I.P black card for exclusive service at the hotels and restaurants they would visit while traveling with Utau on her tour, the list of the envelope contents was endless.

"So, how about it Amu-chan? Tour with me for the rest of the spring and the summer while I release my new single and then upcoming CD, travel to seven different countries all expenses paid on the house, courtesy of my recording label?" IL and EL we goofing around on the table playing as actors arriving at a ceremony while Ran, Miki and Su applauded them.

Amu blinked her mind running around in circles,_'__from normal girl to princess for the rest of the summer? How could she say no to that?! But what would she tell her parents and Tadase?__'_

Would her parents allow her to venture so far from home for such an extended amount of time?

On the other hand she had waited so many years for something out of the ordinary to happen, finally one of her good friends was handing her the opportunity to change her surroundings even if it was for a few weeks time on a silver platter.

Amu held the envelope in one hand as she sprung forward to hug Utau awkwardly over the table spilling the water the waiter had served when they arrived all over the place. "Thank you so much Utau-chan! I'll pay you back for this even if I have to work as one of your crew people while you tour!"

Utau blushed faintly and patted Amu's back awkwardly "It's alright Amu-chan think of it as a graduation present on my part." Utau winked at her and smiled finally convincing the girl, then Amu nodded encouraged as she plopped back in her chair her mood having taken a 180 degree turn in the last five minutes. Utau waved down the waiter to clean the mess Amu had made as she tried hugging her, Amu apologizing the whole time the waiter was there cleaning it up.

Back was the peppy school girl all her friends loved, even if it lasted a few weeks Utau would make sure Amu had the best time of her life for the next eight weeks.

They ordered coffee and an entrée platter to share as they listened to the cover band playing that evening.

Then suddenly Amu stopped bobbing in her seat to the beat of the music altogether to ask Utau a question, "Utau-chan, when do you leave on tour?"

Utau took a sip of the cup of cappuccino she had ordered, "We depart within two days, that should give you enough time to speak to your parents about it."

The blond flipped her ponytail over her shoulder brushing imaginary dust off the sleeve of her pristine yellow blouse, "don't worry so much about it, I will come along with you and explain the situation to them, I'm more than sure they will agree after a little convincing if not right away."

Amu nodded, "Hai Utau-chan"

Utau brought the cup off coffee to her lips again and looked at Amu over the rim of the cup, her amethyst eyes held a curious sparkle to them, "Amu-chan, what about Tadase, when are you planning on telling him about your plans to travel with me?"

Amu stuttered almost choking on a piece of fried mozzarella she was currently in the process of scarfing down. "when will I tell Tadase-kun?" she hummed reaching for her purse and extracted her cell phone, rapidly typing up an email to Tadase.

---

_**Message to :**_

_Tadase-kun, sorry I haven't answered the last few messages, I went for a walk today__ wanting to clear my head__. _

_How is your grandmother? I hope she is feeling well. _

_O.K. Well the thing is that I wanted to tell you that I need to talk to you, so I'm going to visit you tomorrow. _

_Take care._

_**From: A. Hinamori**_

---

And so after she sent the email to Tadase, Utau plucked the phone from Amu's grasp and tossed it in her purse not giving her enough time to dwell on the idea of talking to Tadase about the trip, and then hauled her along with her out the door of the cafe after leaving enough cash on the table to cover the bill along with the tip, then down the posh spacious halls of the mall since she planned to spend the rest of evening buying stuff to take with them on their trip.

---

_**I apologize for any mistakes or typos you might find.**_

**Please Read & Review!**

**Ja Ne!**

_**-Pinkit!**_


	4. Chapter 4: Mirrored Dreams

**Author's Notes:** Well, what else can I say; I hope this chapter is not as bad as I feel it is. Thank you to , your reviews always make me laugh. I can't thank you enough.

A special thanks to HikaruLychee since you always support me no matter what my crazy ideas entitle.

**Warning:** Some limey/lemony situations ahead. Do not read if this offends you. Oh and some gore, yeah Gore!

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Shugo Chara – Peach-Pit does.

**OST for this chapter:** Limp Bizkit – Behind Blue Eyes, then the "love theme from Romeo and Juliet played by Andre Rieu", and for the end of the chapter Matt Pokora ft. Timbaland – She's Dangerous.

-**Chara Mari: Lonesome Hearts-**

**-Chapter 4: Mirrored Dreams**

Timeline: A few hours after midnight.

Location: A dark moonlit room in a quant French villa.

_He sighed as he caressed her smooth skin, silently taking in the beautiful glow of it under the moonlight that filtered in thru the open window, he trailed heated kisses down her delicate neck and over the smooth swell of her uncovered breasts, relishing in the mewls and half words that escaped in rapid succession from her sweet tasting lips. He moaned holding her close to him, basking in her warmth. He loved her and he knew she felt the same for him._

_All of a sudden he felt a searing jolt of pain in his head as his brain painfully clawed at his skull trying to break free as he saw the tuning fork resound in his minds eye, the life light faded to almost null in his now vacant dark blue eyes while the killing intent spread thru his body in a cloud of dark purple haze, his consciousness unsuccessfully fighting back for control from its locked cage trapped as he saw the pseudo-persona he had transformed into tear thru her immaculate body with the dark magic infused scythe, he could do no more than watch as her angelic lips that he had kissed not so long ago open in an agonizing scream as blood splattering in every direction of the moonlit room. He saw the bed sheets soaking up as much of the vital life fluid as possible, the rest of it pooling under her limp lifeless body. The spell broke just like it begun; leaving him a broken man clutching her to his chest, her blood mixing with his sorrow-filled tears his right state of mind slowly fading. _

_The silence of the night was broken as he longingly screamed out her name in the night…_

"**AMU!!!"**

He bolted upright in his bed, his heart racing trying to escape the confines of his chest, he felt a nauseating feeling rush to the back of his throat, and he puffed his cheeks out trying to quell it away. No such luck, he scrambled out of bed tripping over the pristine white bed sheets falling hard on his hands and knees, his palms and kneecaps protested but the urge to empty his stomach was greater. He lifted himself from the floor and again tried making his way towards the bathroom.

Jarring his shoulder on the doorframe his vision became blurry as he collapsed to his hands and knees again, so he decided to crawl on hurt hands and knees the rest of the way to the toilette. Dry heaving a few times his stomach upturned emptying its contents in the porcelain bowl, as images of the bone chilling and very frightening dream flashed all to vividly thru his scarred mind. Propping himself back against the cold tiled wall the cool tile allowing a little respite from the nightmare he just had, he tried getting his uneven breathing under control.

A knock on the door followed by a mellow voice jarred him from his trance, "Master Ikuto, are you alright in there? Do you need me to call a doctor?"

Ikuto whipped a hand down his sweat covered face. "No thank you Marie, I'll just take a shower, it was bad dream is all."

The maid that was left to care for Ikuto while his father traveled was not convinced but didn't want to egg her master on further, decided to leave him be for the time being. She would have a chat with Master Aruto – Ikuto's father when he got back from a small business trip. Marie sighed as she walked back towards her room, her mind troubled as she heard the shower start.

'_What could have happened to this young man to make him look so haunted?'_

Ikuto cowered under the cold water relishing in the way it cooled his sweaty skin. He closed his eyes as he ducked his head under the steady spray of water. The Humpy Key idly clinking against the cross he always wore around his neck while he lathered his hair, he tried auto-convincing himself of the truth. _"It was just a dream, all of it was just a dream, and I shall never become that person again, never again…I would never hurt her"_

The other thought that came to his mind after that was the image of a very womanly figured Amu; bare naked to his gaze, pressed up against him moaning and squirming under him in his bed…he felt the blood rush through his body to pool between his thighs.

"Great just great, only I can go from a mentally disturbing nightmare aftershock to a fully aroused jerk in the same night."

He bit his lip barely drawing blood as he propped his forehead against the shower wall and stroking himself seeking release of the heated fantasy of bathing with her, trying to imagine how she would look if he saw her now, surely having matured by now. He imagined her feather light caresses against his heated skin, her lips on his eagerly kissing him, having felt the same void in her heart as him while not having her around for so long.

Ikuto imagined himself purring as he ran his tongue down the delicate arch of her neck while she shuddered and moaned, _'she was always so ticklish to my touch'_, his breath hitched as he came undone. His hips bucking on their own accord against his hand while the evidence of his sinful thoughts and arousal dripped down the wall towards the drain.

He rolled to the side still propped against the tiled wall while he regained his breath his pulse which until a moment ago had been thundering in his ears now slowed to its regular languid pace.

His last thought as he reached for the bar of soap and finished bathing on autopilot, was her beautiful smile that warmed his heart and brought him peace.

* * *

Timeline: that same morning.

Location: back in Amu's room in Tokyo, Japan.

_She sighed as he caressed her heated skin, her pulse thundering in her ears as she stared into his deep blue eyes mesmerized by his touch, hi s fur soft hair shone in ethereal beauty as the moonlight reflected off of it, she mewled arching her upper body away from the bed as he trailing searing hot kisses down her sensitive neck and over her uncovered breasts, she heard him moan in pleasure while he held her close to him in an intimate embrace, she felt his touch convey his love for her, and she reciprocated equally if not more._

_He then shied away from her clutching at his head shaking it side to side. She called out to him, urging him to come back to her._

"_Ikuto…"_

The next day Amu awoke to a wanton urge to keep dreaming of her blue eyed lover as she woke up to the constant tapping of rain drops against the sliding glass door that led to the balcony in her room. The tapping mirrored her rapid pulse. Having had a lovely dream but it was also some what strange at the same time she stretched yawning while peaking up out the other window from under the covers to visually verify it was raining outside but you could see the first rays of sunlight behind the grassy hills.

'_Good the weather matches my mood today'_

She was actually happy she would be leaving with Utau within a day or so to a far off country but first she would have to wait for Utau to come over and explain the situation to her parents to see if they consented to the last minute plans, and then there was Tadase-kun, _'what on earth am I going to tell him?'_ the frustration of having to go thru that type of explanation to him was starting to become a pain in the ass.

_"How could you tell a good friend that then confessed his love for a pseudo-persona you become sometimes, that is now currently using you as a target for a stalking campaign that you need to bail for a while, and maybe get some space to think?"_

"Listen Tadase-kun, I'm leaving for the next two months, see you then?"

"Hey you know I just wanted to let you know that I'm not going to be around for the next two months?"

Yes it was a lame excuse for a pseudo-breakup on her end, but she had never broken up with someone so it was kind of hard to deal it out to someone she had first actually considered a friend. So what to do, how to tell him? That was actually the reason for her bad mood this morning, even though she had the best time last night with Utau-chan at the mall. Utau had actually bought her more than a handful of things she saw in the displays and had caught her eye.

She went thru the daily routine of fixing her bed, looking in the mirror, brushing her teeth then showering on autopilot while she dedicated her thoughts to how the rest of the day would turn out. She felt at a turning point in her life right now, and she hoped the new turn of events was for the better.

She walked out of the shower toweling her hair off and applying a healthy amount of styling mouse to it. Next went her favorite brand of perfume to her pulse points, she stepped into her underwear and slid her bra into place. Amu decided on a light blue cotton blouse and a black plaid ruffled mini skirt, she topped the look off with a plaid blue miniature set of bows to secure her forelocks back, blue stud earrings, a matching color tinted glass bangle and ring, she pciked out a pair of electric blue strappy sandals, which she would carry downstairs to put on when she left. Last but not least Amu sat at her vanity mirror applying black eyeliner, and mascara, a light layer of blush and a coat of cherry red gloss to her plump lips.

'_Lips that had been kissed by him last night, even if it was in a dream, oh Ikuto where are you?'_

She was brought out of her musings by her mothers' voice, "Amu-chan you have a visitor!"

Amu raced downstairs, her footsteps thudding loudly on the staircase; she was a bit giddy when she saw who had arrived to visit her.

Utau stood out amongst the crowd anywhere she went due to her glorious fashion sense. There she sat lounging on the art deco couch her mother accommodated the living room with a year ago. IL and EL waved at Amu and her charas, while Utau accepted a cup of tea from mama Hinamori.

Ami was currently showing Utau her cosplay costumes of when she went to a music and anime convention downtown last week, as Utau laughed at the funny pictures, and awed at her little sisters' talent to design clothes.

Amu sat on the other vacant side of the couch next to Utau, the uncertainty rolling off her in waves. Utau placed a loving hand on Ami's and asked her to give her a minute, "Ami-chan these are very beautiful, I'm blown away, awed at your talent. Would you allow me a minute while I speak to your parents and Amu-chan please?"

Ami nodded encouraged by Utau's praising as she gathered her photo albums in her arms and ran up the stairs to her room to give the grown-ups some privacy to speak.

Papa poured himself another cup of tea and brought the cup to his lips savoring the feel of the hot liquid against his lips.

Utau made sure Ami was out of earshot and dropped the bomb on Amu's parents. "I'm taking Amu with me on my international tour within a days time, please allow her to travel with me?"

Amu felt her soul leave her body spontaneously, the little ghost scared Ran and Miki while Su tried coaching the ethereal entity back into her owners' body, "Hurry Ran, Miki! Amu-chan got shocked to death!"

Miki fanned Amu with her miniscule notepad, "Amu-chan wake up!"

Ran collapsed on her knees on Amu's shoulder, "I knew it she would die of an unpredictable death!" EL patted Amu's head tenderly while mama and papa Hinamori reacted as polar opposites to the news.

Mama clapped her hands excitedly gushing about how proud she was of Amu for knowing how to choose friends that brought her good karma, and papa? Well let's suffice to say that he cried out in shock and was now running laps around the living room. "Amu-chan you are leaving your family, why? Why are you doing this? First, you had a boy in your room when you were younger; and now a trip around the planet, where did I go wrong as a father?! I'm running away!"

Mama tossed the plastic tray she used to bring tea to the table at papa Hinamori, whacking him on the head stiffly as she approved of said trip, "it's just for a couple of months papa! She is in the age to want to experience the world! Go on Amu-chan chase your dream! Make us proud!" papa cried and ran faster around the plush condo, trying to drain his anxiety.

Utau tried hiding her amusement at the parents' antics behind her hand and winked at her. "See? I told you it would be easy to speak to them."

Amu sighed having come back from her shock and nodded approvingly. Although she was rough around the edges Utau had her way of speaking to people and getting her point across. Mama Hinamori squealed as she started ticking off the things Amu would need to take with her on her trip and a few rules for Amu to abide by including calling ever so often and following her good judgment not to do anything brash while on tour with Utau, to which Amu heartedly agreed right on the dot.

After everything was arranged for the upcoming trip including a signed permit from both of Amu's parents, Utau excused herself and gave Amu's cell phone back to her. "Here Amu-chan I forgot to give it back last night when Kukai and I dropped you off. Now that we are done speaking to your parents comes the hard part."

* * *

Amu thanked Utau for returning her phone and immediately knew what Utau was referring to as the hard part. 'Tadase-kun" she murmured while idly stealing a glance at the phone's outer display,

'_**25 missed calls, 15 emails, and 4 text messages, from T. Hotori'**_

She huffed angrily while flipping the phone open, "I think I've had enough of this!" she growled while mass deleting all messages from that contact, then flipped her phone closed and rubbed her forehead feeling the on set of a painful headache set in.

Utau saw how worked up she had become and patted her shoulder. "Relax Amu, I'll drive you there and you can call me to pick you up when you are done. That way you don't have to deal with the jerk of the prince anymore than you have to."

Amu sighed feeling guilty but agreed to Utau's proposal, knowing it could get heavily sentimental if Tadase wanted it to. Utau smiled wanly at her and cocked her head towards her car, winking and silently asking Amu to get a move on, her pigtails swirling this way and that in the early afternoon breeze.

"Let's go do this then!" Utau said as she quickened her pace making her flirty white cotton stretch dress ride high on her thighs as she walked to her car her tan four inch diva pumps putting her shapely legs on display while her hips swayed to their own rhythm. She extracted her car keys from he designer tanned leather hobo bag and pressed her thumb to the small triangle alarm control, the device chirped twice signaling it was deactivated and both the door to the drivers' and passengers' side of her velvet purple 2009 Audi R8 V12 TDI concept car folded upward leaving the cars' cockpit open for perusal for anybody passing by. The car was a small trinket she gifted herself with for her last birthday.

The beige leather trimmings shinned in the sunlight the rain having long passed. The odometer panel along with the radio hummed to life once the sensor key was within reading range and the cars' ignition self started itself. She demurely lowered herself into the drivers' plush beige leather bucket seat she ordered custom made, putting on her sunglasses while pulling the door down to its airtight closed position in the process, and called Amu into the car.

"C'mon Amu-chan lets get going love, Tadase's house is a bit far from here and I want to avoid the traffic if I can, I don't want to have to deal with any reporters today if I can help it."

Amu turned around waiving goodbye to her mother and shyly walked over to the overkill of a car Utau owned. "Utau-chan when did you get this thing? What on earth possessed you to buy this monster?!"

Utau smirked and patted the passengers seat, "get in already Amu, you are starting to draw a crowd here…" surely looking around the neighborhood people were crowding around the car, it being very out of league of the standard four door SUV Amu's parents owned, bought with their hard earned money.

Amu and her charas hopped inside and followed Utau's lead to pull the door closed, it hissed closed and Utau giggled at Amu's scared expression. "Now Amu how about we have some fun before you get to his house huh?" Utau shifted the pricey European race car into reverse and quickly followed up with a shift into drive causing the car to drift around the corner and out of sight meanwhile Amu tried adjusting her seatbelt, leaving the small crowd of onlookers in awe. IL and EL assumed their regular seats in the cutout spaces in Utau's headrest, while Ran, Miki and Su rolled around in the back seat as the car speed around another green light.

Her seatbelt clicked into the security clip and she sighed in relief, the engine purred around another steep turn and into the highway, Utau swerved across four lanes skidded the car around doing a one eighty and joined the rest of the opposite going traffic heading to the southern Tokyo turnpike. She gunned the engine all around the south side of town having it consist of more open launched streets and smiled as she looked at her strawberry blond friend who hand fallen into a subconscious state of mind. She had planned on letting her think about the important chat before taking her to Tadase's house. Kami-sama knew she needed the time to iron her jumbled thoughts out.

"Amu…" the girl blinked but continued looking out the passenger window, dazed at the magical feeling of watching the world on fast forward, that is what it felt like to ride in a superfast car, the grassy hills becoming less frequent as they got closer to their destination.

"Oi, Amu! Snap out of it girl!" Amu jolted looking back at Utau still kind of dazed. "Yes Utau-chan?"

"Having fun yet?" she asked, the girl nodded in response. Utau laughed at her antics, "I'm sorry to say this but I got some bad news for you."

Amu frowned and asked "which is?"

Utau slowed the car to a crawl as they drifted around the last turn of their trip and braked leaning over the steering wheel and pointing to the Hitori mansion. "We're here…"

* * *

I apologize for any mistakes or typos you might find.

Please Read & Review.

Ja Ne!

_**-Pinkit!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Dream Castles Crumble

**A/N: **Yo! I'm back with the longest chapter ever! I felt bad about having thought of making it two chapters so...I just let it take its course and become a mondo chapter! A thanks to all those lovely people who have added my story to their favs/and have reviewed, lots of love for everybody who reads it! I love, love, love hearing from you all!

**Warning: **Adult themes in this chapter, if you are easily affected by it, **do not**read it.

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Shugo Chara - Peach-Pit does.

**OST:** Nirvana unplugged - Come as You are/

Metallica The House the Jack Built/

Metallica - King Nothing/

Pink - Sober/. (the songs have an order to them, you will understand later).

A shoutout to my friend **HikaruLychee** GET WELL SOON LUV! :3

On to the fun stuff then!

**---**

**- Chara Mari: Lonesome Hearts -**

**- Chapter 5: Dream Castles Crumble -**

**---**

_I once had a dream...  
_

_  
Of being the ruler of my own world, of my own kingdom, be it big or small...  
_

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I wanted to rule the world because it was the only thing that made sense...  
_

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It was the only way to be able to rule on who could be happy and who would pay for other peoples suffering.  
_

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In my world I only thought of what I wanted, of how I wanted everything to be,  
_

_  
Nobody else's' opinion mattered.  
_

_  
Along came a special someone that changed my point of view.  
_

_  
She showed me it was important to not take everybody else for granted, that they had feelings.  
_

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She showed me to trust._

__

To love.  


_  
To cherish.  
_

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To protect.  
_

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To value.  
_

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I built a dream around her; we lived together in a grand castle all types of riches at our finger tips.  
_

_  
One day came a knight in shinning armor with his loyal steed to rescue her from my frivolous dreams.  
_

_  
That day the castle crumbled._

__

That day I became, who I am now.  


He lay propped against the far end wall of his room, having left the shades down and the light off the only source of brightness in the room was the small silvers of light that crawled under the door as his parents walked around getting their things ready for a picnic in the park.

His grandmother was feeling better and had requested to be taken out for a while. His parents happily following thru on the request and his mother came up with a last minute picnic. The peach blossoms were starting to bloom _"and the ambiance would be lovely"_ his mother had claimed.

He ran his hand down the smooth skin of his chin, the weather was fair, indeed it was a perfect day to engage in outdoor activities, but the weather did not match his mood today. He had gotten a text message from her last night, _"she is visiting me today, she needs to tell me something..." _

Of course Tadase wasn't a fool to believe that Amu didn't feel anything of the amorous nature for his onii-chan, "pfft! My so-called brother! Brothers don't betray themselves, and flirt with their brothers' girlfriends!"

He tossed his phone across the room, the thin piece of metal and plastic of the screen and cover shattering on impact. No matter how many calls or emails he sent her she never answered them. He called his house and she never came to the phone. He felt the pang of jealousy inside his heart; his emotions swirled inside his soul, hatred, jealousy, longing, pain, betrayal...

He ran a hand thru his messy ash-blond hair. Wisps of it fell covering his eyes, his normally sparkling chocolate colored eyes filled of an ugly, heartless emotion.

A knock resounded thru the shoji door, "Tadase-kun we are leaving now, are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

He sighed expelling air thru his teeth, "No thank you mother, I am expecting company later today."

His mother covered her heart with her closed hand, "a visitor? Ah, school friend?"

"Hai Okaa-san" he answered.

Hopefully her son and his girlfriend would resolve whatever issue had come between them. Her son had gone from soft mannered and caring to a dark quiet, bottled up person before her withering eyes.

She lowered her head in defeat not knowing how to help him get thru this and walked to the waiting family car outside of the mansion, her husband and mother-in-law already aboard it.

_It looks like today they won't be the whole family again as they used to be._

Tadase idly watched the car as the chauffeur drove it out of the winding parking lot, the maid closed the wooden front gate that lead to the mansion before getting in the car, as she would be accompanying his parents in case his grandmother felt under the weather and needed assistance in any way.

If he was going to be told off, he would prefer to not have an audience. Tadase lowered his head to his bare chest. His long unruly bangs covering his somber face.

And then as if planned, the electronic door bell rang.

"Let the show begin." He smirked as he stood up and put on a thin white cotton t-shirt.

The blue chara egg decorated with a yellow crown which sat on a small pillow in the corner of the room twitched unnoticed by its owner...

--------

Amu frowned as she glanced out of the passenger's side window, just as Utau hand mentioned it, they were parked right outside of the Hotori mansion in the upper class side of town. not surprisingly since Utau drove like a bat out of hell, she stole a glance over at her blonde friend and saw her worried expression. Amu sucked in her lower lip, and cleared he throat as she gathered her purse and pulled the lever for the door to open, but it hissed and popped out, then upward before she reached the control.

Utau smirked at her surprised expression and reminded her that the car did have automatic locks and so forth. "Amu-chan, don't fret about it, just go in there and say what you have to say, the rest is history. Just tell him how you feel, and about the trip, let him feel however he wants to feel. Don't let him make you feel guilty."

Amu idly nodded and stepped out of the car, her charas quickly flying out after her glad to be out of the death-bringer on wheels. Utau throttled the engine while the door to the passenger's side lowered itself automatically. She rolled down the window halfway so only her jeweled eyes could be seen thru the open space. "Hey Amu, remember to call me so I can pick you up after you are done talking to him. You've got your phone with you right?"

Amu nodded a worried expression on her face as she glanced at the looming doors of Tadase's house. "Hai, Utau-chan, I promise I'll call you when i am done speaking to Tadase-kun."

Utau felt weird inside like she needed to protect Amu from any selfish or stupid comment the prince might go after as a cheap shot to not let her get away from him. But she decided to let Amu try to handle things on her own first. She pushed the control to roll up the window and took a last glance at Amu before slowly driving away, hitting the speed-dial for Kukai on the cars' sound system that was tied by Bluetooth to her state of the art cell phone.

Kukai picked up on the second ring, "Oi angel, I've missed you, were have you been love?"

Utau sighed contentedly and answered, "I've missed you too koi, I've been busy visiting the Hinamoris seeking and approval from Amu's parents so she can come along on the tour."

Kukai hummed in an understanding tone, "I see so did they?"

Utau shifted gears as she turned into the main street, "Yes, they took the news quite well, I followed Yukari-sempais' advice to take the permit paperwork with me, that way I wouldn't have to go back and forth between her office and Amu's house in the same day. They signed and stamped them right after they both agreed to my proposal to take her on tour with me. Her mother was extremely happy, since she knew about the situation between Amu-chan and Ikuto-kun."

Kukai smiled; as he too had met Mrs. Hinamori on various occasions when she invited him over to dinner, the first time of many was to question him on Ikuto's intentions with her daughter.

"She is a sweet caring mother, I've hade the chance to meet her before, that's why that does not surprise me." "So what is Amu doing now? You two aren't back at the mall leaving the racks bare are you?"

Utau giggled, her boyfriend knew her every move, "No baby, I just drove Amu to Tadase's house so she could talk the trip over with him. I hope he doesn't get melodramatic as always with her, the Jerk..." Utau bit the inside of her lip as she thought of the overbearing man the sweet meek Tadase had become, stalking Amu day and night for a good amount of time before she told her a while back. Kukai had dealt it to him to lay off the emotional crap for a while. She bit the inside of her cheek as she speed thru a red-light on purpose, the small rush of doing something illegal doing nothing to quell her anxiety. IL squealed in giddy contempt as little black wings appeared on top of Utau's pigtails.

Kukai could feel it in her voice as she spoke, she was worried about her best friend and Tadase, hoping he didn't do anything brash he sighed and tried calming his girlfriend down, "listen baby girl, I know you are worried about her but you need to let her try to work it out with the guy first. If not, Amu has us to trust in, we'll step in if stuff gets ugly right?"

Utau sighed, feeling the worry leave her for the time being but not all together, "O.k. champ I'll trust what you say, but if he gets out of line I'll tear him a new one for making her feel guilty about this! I mean he is the one making her fear her shadow sometimes, you saw how she was acting yesterday right?! Looking over her shoulder to see if he would pop out of thin air!"

Kukai groaned, knowing she was still worked up, "Hey angel, how about we meet up at that Ramen place you love? Let's have a contest between us to see who can eat the most!"

Utau grinned, he always knew how to cheer her up, "O.k. lover, I'll race you there, the last one to get there pays the tab!" she cheered, as he laughed out loud, only Utau could go from worried to hungry in a fraction of seconds. He took off in a run and tossed his dirty soccer practice t-shirt on the locker hamper and rushed to shower and change. Meahwhile Utau made a nasty U-turn at a busy intersection and gunned the engine towards the mentioned restaurant.

------

Amu trudged up the stone walkway towards Tadase's house, she bit her lip in worrisome anticipation while ringing the doorbell and waiting for a response. A couple of minutes passed and she rang again, the wooden gate swung open she called out to see who had opened, but no one was around.

"Hello is anybody there?" she cautiously stepped around the walkway towards the main house, "Mrs. Hotori? Grandma-Hotori? Tadase-kun?" nobody answered.

She arrived at the front door of the main house, the large traditional Japanese garden looming over her, a bit too quiet for her liking at the moment, the silence pressed her on to search for another person in the large property, her heartbeat thundered in her ears, she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye, the front door quickly slid open. Finally somebody was there, she had not come in vain, and it was strange since she had told Tadase-kun she would be visiting today.

"Ah! Amu-chan! I knew I heard somebody open the front gate."

Amu quickly spun around, her heart having skipped a beat from the unintentional surprise. "T-Tadase-kun?!"

She thought she saw him smirk at her nervous stance. She took an unconscious step back - her mind reeling, _'is he trying to scare me purpose?'_

He smirked knowing she felt anxious one more thing in his favor, she would be easily convinced.

"Welcome to my house Amu-chan, please step inside." he motioned for her to step thru the front door and into the genkan, she took time removing her sandals, slipping her dainty feel into house slippers, while her heartbeat slowly skid back to its regular languid pace; he sat observing her the whole time his shadowed, calculating semblance going unnoticed by her.

Tadase pocketed his fists and cleared his throat, "So would you like something to drink? A cup of tea, or better yet, I think mother made orange juice this morning..."

Amu smiled, Tadase always knew how to soothe her when she was nervous. "A glass of juice sounds nice, thank you."

Tadase bowed his head just barely, and disappeared behind the swinging kitchen door. Amu made herself comfortable on a cushion next to the low table. She heard no noise from the halls behind the shoji screens, no voices from the other rooms.

She gulped, trying to convince herself that her imagination was getting the best of her, as she saw the sly smirk on Tadase's face when he looked at her from behind the glass panel on the kitchen door.

He walked over to the table and placed a small tray with a pitcher of juice two glasses and a few assorted types of cookies on the table. He sat down across from her; a calm facade adorned his face. He had matured into quite a handsome young man. His wide shoulders, muscular arms and legs, and trim waist along with his lovely face making the ladies swoon everywhere he went.

_Quite the playboy. _

And just before a few weeks ago he had been quite the charming gentleman. "Quite the catch," she had heard somebody comment in hushed tones about him one of the times he asked her out on a date and they were walking along the sidewalk together.

He quietly observed her, knowing she was here to speak about their relationship he narrowed his eyes trying to figure out how long it would take her to brave it out and tell him about it. Tadase smiled at her as he poured two glasses of iced orange juice, offering her one, "Here Amu-chan, enjoy."

She took the glass and drank from it, her lower lip trembling, "This is sure refreshing, thank you Tadase-kun."

"I'm glad you like it."

The sat in uncomfortable silence as he stared at her, while she had to fight back the strange urge to lean away from the table to get away from him.

"S-Say Tadase-kun, I actually came to visit you because I wanted to speak to you about something..." Amu's charas all huddled in the corner watching the odd conversation.

He nodded as he starred out of the window. "I'm listening Amu-chan, I'm sure you will tell me anything that is bothering you, right?" He blinked, and fixed his molten chocolate colored eyes on her, she felt them eat away at her soul. She felt guilty for wanting to break up with him, because he had been such a good friend. _"But now..."_

She put her half empty glass on the table the juice sloshed around while the partially melted ice cubes clinked in the glass, while she busied herself making nervous motions with her hands trying to find the confidence to come out and spring the news of the trip on him, so she could leave.

Then it happened all too quickly.

One minute Amu was waving her hands around in front of her.

Then she clumsily knocked over the glass of juice, she went to reach for it and it and it spilt over towards her end of the table and fell drenching both her top and skirt. The ice cubes prickling her skin.

She had not felt Tadase reach under the table and tilt it towards her so the glass would fall towards her.

"Oh dear, Amu-chan hold on, let me go get something to help you clean up." He said as he stood up and quickly walked into the kitchen as the silence was marked by the swinging kitchen door creaking on its hinges.

Amu pouted while she plucked the ice cubes from her ruined skirt and dropped them in her now empty glass sighing, "Dammit! I always do stupid stuff like this!" she puffed her cheeks out exasperated at herself. She felt icky as the juice ran down her legs and pooled in front of her soaking the expensive grade tatami mats.

Tadase came back from the kitchen with a small wet towel and knelt next to her, wiping at her shirt all too calmly.

She blushed and tried taking the towel from him, he pulled back and she pulled at the towel too, he let his grip slacken double intentions still hidden while Amu tumbled backwards pulling him along with her. He landed atop her, his weight bearing over her, she blushed and looked away and pushed his shoulders to dislodge him from atop her.

He didn't take the hint, Tadase opted to act out of character and push his luck running his nose up the velvet skin of her neck planting soft kisses and whispering in her ear, "you smell quite well Amu-chan," she blushed deeper and stuttered while trying to curl away from him, "H-Haha thank you Tadase-kun, well now please let me up." She blushed and pushed at his shoulders again, embarrassed at the position they were in.

He shook his head the negative against her chest kissing and licking the exposed skin atop her shirt, Amu squealed and slapped him away managing to scratch his unblemished skin in the process, twisting his upper body and face away from sheer force and leaving red welts as evidence. "That's enough of that Tadase! I deserve some respect!"

She sat up trying to wipe off the juice from her already spoiled clothes and went to stand up, her temper rising. He pulled her arm roughly towards him; she landed hard on her knees between his thighs, her hands on his chest. He shot his hands up capturing hers quite easily, that way she wouldn't be able to hit him again. Amu squirmed trying to get away scowling at Tadase for the stupid things he was doing.

"Stop being pig-headed Amu-chan don't you see I love you?"

The blue chara egg that held Kiseki inside which was still nestled atop a small pillow in his room bled from blue into a dark void color while a white X appeared atop of its surface. 

"This is not funny Tadase, let me go! I don't want to play around!"

He licked her cheek next to her lips, "That's to bad, cause I am in the mood to play around" she whipped her head away from him, unconsciously rubbing her breasts against his chest. "Hmm, do that again, I actually like it, I didn't know you were a hidden hentai Amu-chan!" he tsk-ed against her neck, planting unwanted kisses along her jaw.

"Stop it Tadase! I didn't come here to be man-handled by you, what on earth is wrong with you?! You've never acted like this!" She bolted a knee up towards his crotch which he easily avoided.

He then used his weight to roll them around switching positions, leaving him atop of her, his hands pinning hers away from her body.

"I've been calling you lately, and you never answer, or you are never there, maybe you think that I don't love you enough, who knows? My idea is let you know how much I can't be without you..." He pressed his arousal to the creamy supple skin of her thigh, his body heat acted like bolts of electricity jolting Amu of a daze.

His words hit Amu like a ton of bricks. His intentions being known now she fought back harder. 

"What the hell is wrong with you-you brute?! Let me up!" She squirmed kick her legs beneath him while she tried using her body weight to push him off.

His face scrunched up into a scowl, "How is it that you readily agree to sleep with Ikuto-niichan but when it comes to me you become ill-mannered Amu-chan?"

"What does he have that I don't?!" He yelled at her referring to Ikuto while he gripped her wrists tighter, holding her chin quite stiffly between his thumb and forefinger, trying desperately to find the answer in her light gold colored eyes.

Her mind swam, _"if Ikuto were here, he would already have saved me, he always showed up when I needed him the most, he always saved me from being hurt…Ikuto"_

_  
_  
"Please let go of me Tadase!" she pleaded while pulling back at her wrists, the grip he held them with was painful, tears of helplessness formed in her eyes, and slide languidly down her cheeks. 

She felt abused as he scowled down at her, leered at her, and mocked her that he had her cornered. He could ruin her life if he so wished it, he could take her virginity and her dream to do all the great things she had planned.

She choked on her words as the sentiment was too great, "w-wh-why are you doing this to me? wha-what did I ever d-do to you? is this who you r-really are T-Tadase?!"

_"My dream castle, my dream...it's vanishing..."_

Amu squirmed under him trying to break free her dark tinted tears flowing into her hairline smearing her makeup making her look like a emotion-driven muse, "I don't want this Tadase!" she clamored, shaking her head furiously from side to side.

"I don't want you!"

I don't love you!"

"I never did!"

"Let me go!!!" she screamed from the bottom of her heart, knowing she was hurting him with her honest words, but he was doing more damage to her making her feel like a cornered animal trying to fight back, trying to stay alive, to stay safe.

The tainted chara egg flew into the room while her words seared into his brain like jolts of pain.

_"My dream castle has crumbled...I stand alone, I stand scorned, ridiculed..."_

He let go of her severely bruised wrists to grab tight hold of her shoulders, shaking her with each word he screamed, "You never loved me?! Is that what you are saying?! How could you?! You tricked me! You played with my heart!"

He slapped her hard across her cheek, her head snapping in rapid succession to the left while her lip busted open blood dripping onto her already soiled blouse, and she fell to the side tumbling over herself in the process, her shrill pained scream echoing throughout the premises. She tried picking herself up, her vision blurred and she flipped herself over to look up at him.

At this rate the neighbors had started looking out their windows to try to see what was going on inside the Hotori Estate.

The X-chara egg cracked and from it emerged a small void being with a side-cocked red crown and a red X on its head.

Tadase let out an evil heartless cackle, his heart was unlocked, letting out all of the ugly emotions. He transformed with the void X-chara, the transformation was that of a stoic lord, wearing a crown on the side of its head, a skull on the other. His sphere was topped with a blood red skull and his feet were lit in fire. "Chara Mari: Jaded King!"

"Foolish Harlot! I the King have found you guilty of lewd adulterous natures; I cast your fate, so I shall end your life!" He extracted a sword from its sheaf held at his waist by a belt.

"I shall behead you, and thus end your sinful life!"

The transformed Tadase took a swing with the ominous magic infused blade, which came a breath away from her neck before a purple tinted magic charged dagger bounced off the blade deflecting his attention for the few seconds Kukai needed to glide in lifting Amu's battered body and air boarding her away to safety.

Utau dressed in Full Nightmare Loreli regalia, lifted her hand and called the dagger back by magic, it flew in her waiting hand and she brandished it again against the now transformed prince. 

"You got a lot of nerve jackass! Hitting a defenseless woman! How 'bout you try that with somebody of your own size douche bag!"

Utau used her bat wings to fly at him, killer intent in her eyes.

Utau had met up with Kukai at the ramen shop but while she finished her broth she felt a pang of a something calling out to her. "Helplessness" so she egged Kukai into driving along with her to Tadase's house.

She had insisted to Kukai that they drive back towards the side of the city where Tadase's house was located so they could be close if Amu called them.

They had only parked outside when they heard Amu's shrill scream as he slapped her around like a ragdoll, thanks to Utau's insistence they had arrived to the Hotori Mansion in the nick of time.

Kukai was torn between stepping between the now battling siblings, and nursing Amu which was now unconscious and sported a bloody lip and a large red bruise on her right cheek and jaw.

Utau's battle cry rang loud in the premises; she swung the dagger in a wide arch striking Tadase on the forearm, drawing first blood. She curved the dagger in an upright position trying to cleave his arm in half but he retracted in time. She followed up with a strong front kick she learned from Kukai's brother, it landed in the center of his ribs, the force she used was unearthly - call it chara transformation power but she managed to crack three ribs from sheer force she used, he choked gasping for air and collapsed to the floor.

She flicked the dagger away from her to clean the traces of blood from it and hid it in its holster strapped to her thigh. She squared off and jumped in the air calling out her attack,

"NIGHTMARE LORELEI!"

The room turned black as the ominous cloud of sheer power surged from Utau's body, black feathers bloomed and surged from behind her and aimed at Tadase, the knife sharp edges cutting at his unprotected body in rapid succession. It was a gruesome gory show, as blood spurt from every cut from his body at the same time, bathing the tatami mats and walls with the crimson liquid. Utau rejoiced in his pained gurgle.

He lost his transformation and barely held on to his consciousness. The X character ran back to its egg and hid itself inside as the egg dropped a few feet away from his prone body.

Utau walked over to it and picked the egg up, then walked over to Tadase and knelt next to him harshly slapping his cheek and pulling him up by his shirt to make him look at her. Blood spurt from his bruised mouth, "It's over now, she told me all she needed to, let me be...leave!" he screamed, hurt still layered his normal calm voice.

Utau gripped the egg more firmly ready to crush it; she figured he didn't deserve to have dreams, if he was so ready to crush someone else's so easily.

But she was drawn from her path of action by a soft rasped plea from behind her, "No! Please don't Utau-chan! Please stop! Don't crush his dreams!"

The blonde justice bringer was in shock, the girl lay bruised and battered in someone else's arms and she still pleaded for her attacker's hopes and dreams to be kept intact.

"Amu how can you even think about letting this jerks' dreams be? Didn't he just try to rape you? And you defend him? Dammit all Amu!"

Utau stood abruptly and tossed the egg at Tadase, it hit him square in the face and rolled to the side without cracking then she walked out in a huff.

Amu called after her, "You don't understand Utau-chan we all have had our dark moments, and our friends were there to remind us of which path to come back to. We are his friends, it's our duty to make sure his hopes and dreams are intact..."

Amu glanced over to her shell-shocked chara's that were huddled in the corner. "Suu please if you may?" Suu nodded and chara transformed with Amu into **Amulet Clover **and they purified Kiseki's egg. She then used "Remake Honey" to restore all the damage done to the property, but not to Tadase, he would have to pay for his transgression even if it were in pain.

After all this she collapsed from exhaustion loosing her amulet transformation in the process, Kukai rapidly ran over to her and lifted her in his arms. He carried her out to his car where Utau stood leaning against it, Amu's charas silently gliding along behind him.

"Amu rolled her head to the side to stare at her, "Utau-chan I know you don't understand, but you also had a period of time when you couldn't remember your path, I am glad I was able to help you find it again my friend..."

Utau stared at Amu in awe, this small slip of a girl had made her feel a lousy person with just a few words, but she wasn't mad at her no, she was actually glad Amu had helped her when she needed it the most.

Kukai then signaled for Utau to follow him as they took Amu to his personal Dr. to get her checked up for any serious bruises.

"C'mon angel, Amu has had enough excitement to last for the rest of the week, it's best to get her to Dr. Utada's right away, you best follow me and in the meantime try to think up what were are going to tell her parents? I mean it wouldn't be in her best interest to let them see what has happened to her, being so close to traveling with you, she was supposed to be with you when this happened to her right?"

Utau huffed and pinned Kukai with an icy glare, "It's not like I didn't try stopping her from being alone with him you bonehead!"

Kukai placed Amu in the passenger's seat in his car and strapped the seatbelt across her, then closed the door in the process and ran around to the driver's side, while getting in and gunning the engine. "I'm not blaming you, heck if there is anybody to blame here it would be me for not knowing Tadase could be so bent on harming her."

He stopped himself before shifting the car into drive, "Let's just tell them that she is staying over at your place until tomorrow, that she is helping you get your stuff ready O.K. angel?"

Utau nodded silently pouting, while looking at a pebble next to her feet on the ground. Kukai sighed calling her over, "Hey, come here…"

She walked over to the car and leaned closer to him, he placed a hand behind her head and pulled her the rest of the way down to meet her lips in a chaste kiss then pressed his forehead to hers, "Don't feel bad about it O.K.? we would have never been able to know he would stoop so low, let's just help Amu thru this together alright?"

Utau nodded a bit more encouraged than before and walked away to her car, getting in and starting the engine, rapidly following her boyfriends' Porsche that had already drifted around the corner.

* * *

Please Read and Review!

I apologize for any typos or mistakes you might find.

Ja Ne!

_-Pinkit!_


	6. Chapter 6: Floating Away

**A/N:** So yeah, I will be honest with you all, I am not sorry for not updating sooner, I got word and proof that someone had stollen my story and posted it on fanfiction again. **Shame on you! **It did bother me I wont lie about it, I had thought of eraising the story and to hell with it, but no. I won't let that person get credit for it, this story is **mine**period.

O.K. so now that I am done with my rant, on to the other stuff.

I do **NOT** own Shugo Chara, **Peach-Pit **does. But I do own Dr. Utada and Bindi.

**OST:**** "**Silverspun Pickups - Panic Switch" and then "Creed - Weathered"

**---**

**Chara Mari: Lonesome Hearts**

**Chapter 6: Floating Away**

**---**

_A car is heard while it zooms on the strip..._

_It's moving fast the engine hell-cries as the tires skid around the curves on the street..._

_The drivers' breathing comes in rapid succession as he shifts and screams something out, it can't be made out, and it sounds very far away..._

_The driver swerves, barely avoiding colliding with another, both him and the passenger sway in motion to the cars trajectory._

_It feels like something pulls back preventing me from keeling forward in the seat._

_Again the driver screams and shakes my shoulder; I can barely make out what he is saying..._

_My vision is cloudy, I feel very cold, I'm trembling..._

_I feel my body start convulsing, the brakes squeal as the car comes to a halt._

_I feel like I'm floating in water and then it closes over my head as I lose consciousness._

---

Kukai manages to reach Dr. Utada's clinic in record time, skidding to a halt the smell of exhaust and burnt tires do nothing to affect him as he quickly kills the engine and opens the car door, vaulting over the hot metal of the hood he lands on the passenger's side of the car and pops open the door.

The girl, who had groaned in pain and appeared to be light headed while he drove her over, was not responding at all.

He checked her pulse, barely noticeable, her body was trembling but he didn't know if it was from shock or if her blood pressure had dropped along with her body temperature.

Kukai quickly unbuckled the seat belt and hefted Amu up in his arms, she was out like a light, her ivory skin was ice cold to the touch and her teeth were chattering, her body temperature had dropped incredibly in the last twenty minutes he took to drive all over town trying to get her the quickest way possible. He curled himself around her and stepped away from the car, walking over to the clinic door he yelled for the doctor to open up.

"Oi! Dr. Utada, get your lazy ass out of bed! I have an emergency here!"

The lights to the front porch of the private clinic/personal residence flashed on after a few minutes of silence, the dog barked in the backyard signaling an intruder was near.

"Oi! C'mon! Open up old man! Make it quick!"

A balding old man that appeared to be around sixty years old and about a foot length shorter than Kukai appeared behind the curtain covered window, his untamed graying mustache and bushy eyebrows made him look like a scary character from a science-fiction novel.

He opens the window and shines a flashlight on Kukai's face, "Now look here son, I already told'ya that'a midnight case of gas is no emergency, take some Pepto Bismol and go to sleep already! These young'uns come'in up over'ere wakin' one up in smack bare middle of the night I tell'ya! Where has the respect for yar' elders gone?!"

I was about to close the door as Kukai screams at him again, "Hey jiji! Look at what I'm holding here! It definitely ain't a sack of potatoes, now open up it's an emergency!"

The doctor put on his glasses and flashed the light on Kukai again, this time he saw what he had failed to observe the first time, a vey young girl covered in dry blood lay curled in the young man's arms, the old man cleared his throat and called Kukai's attention, "What is da meanin' of this'ere son? You gone into da hitter'pleaser field? what they call it now? M&M's? Nope that's not it, S&M'ers you'an S&M'er now Kukai?"

Kukai literally stomped his foot and growled at the good doctor turned old man, "No old man, she is a very good friend I rescued from a kid which I thought was good guy, he knocked her around pretty good, that is why she is out cold, now open the door, she needs your help!"

Dr. Utada assumed his professional attitude and pushed the corresponding button for the automatic doorman to unlock the door, "Very well then, let's see what I can do for her, bring her in already, and stop standing out in the cold there..."

Kukai rushed inside as he heard Utau's car pull up the doctor's driveway. He stepped into the sterile white ambience of the clinic, the worn leather couch and stained coffee table in the waiting room borught back memories from when he had come to doctor Utada's every time he got an injury at home, and now that he played for a big paying soccer team he had to keep a low profile unless the press was to find out of each and every injury and illness he had ever had.

The short pudgy doctor appeared from behind the door that divided the clinic from his house. He wore a white lab coat and plaid sleeping pants, a white wife beater under the lab coat. His large standard reading glasses sat atop his balding head. He motioned for Kukai to place the passed out Amu on a crisp hospital bed in the examination area. "Alright son, bring her in and put her on the bed over'ere, there is a blonde pretty'un screamin' into my intercom sayin' she knows you, should I let her in?"

Kukai waved him off, "Don't worry about her, she is my girlfriend so I'll let her in, please go ahead and take a look at Amu she is the one that needs you right now."

The doctor nodded silently while he unwrapped the stethoscope from around his neck and put the plastic covered buds in his ears, then the glasses over the bridge of his aged eyes.

---

A thorough examination had been performed along with a few x-rays of the face, thorax and wrists without any major issues arising after the doctor examined them, all that was visibly left from the attempted assault was large bruises on both wrists that extended up to the hands and two inches away from the wrist itself, a large softball size rapidly darkening bruise on the jaw and cheekbone, a large discolored bruise on the chin and a tender lower lip, the blood she had all but bathed in had been cleaned away the clothes had been cut away with surgical scissors being replaced by a bland colored hospital gown and the wound on her lip was sterilized. Small skin colored band-aids now adorned the cleaned but tender area under her lip. Her wrists hand been massaged with pain ointment and wrapped in gauze, an I.V. with sedatives had been hooked to one of her forearm veins.

_I can hear a beeping sound..._

_I can feel people in the room with me..._

_I hear voices talking in hushed tones, murmuring, whispering..._

_"Will she be o.k.? will she be alright? Will it leave a scar?"_

_My hearing is scarily accurate now, I can hear the birds chirping outside of the building, a dog barking in the backyard, a door slide open,_

_I can hear the droned voices coming from the TV in the other room._

_I can feel a cold metal instrument as it's pressed to my skin, giving me an unsettling prickling feeling,_

_I feel something looming over me, cornering me, pressing me down,_

_My eyelids flutter open, my eyes are unfocused and my vision is blurry, my eyes take their time to adjust..._

_My vision finally manages to focus on a blob that is in front of me, it's an old man, in a lab coat, his bushy eyebrows and untrimmed mustache are a frightening visage to awaken to._

_I cower away from him and scream..._

_---_

Her eyes shot open as her pupils were as big as saucers; she breathed in and instantly let out a shrill scream, "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIII!"

Amu curled into herself and screamed bloody murder, Utau and Kukai ran into the room, worried for their friend. Utau glances around the room trying to find the origin of Amu's fearful scream, after a small observation of the room she finds that only the doctor could cause her to yell out like that. "Oi! Doctor what did you do to my friend to have her scream like that, huh?!"

The doctor brushed his meaty finger thru his beard and settled back on the stool he had been perched upon to be able examine Amu better, "I have done nothing to her, I was just checking her pulse and temperature, she woke up suddenly and then curled into the human ball you see huddled on the bed right now, she is going thru a process of coping with what happened to her, it's best you take her to a psychologist, what she has is called post-traumatic stress syndrome."

Utau blinked as she fell to her knees in an incredulous heap. Kukai pulled her back up and hugged her close to him, the larger amount of damage Tadase had inflicted had been internal, he had fucked with her mind and now she was traumatized.

It would be a long way she would have to travel before she would be the same sweet innocent Amu everybody loved.

The good thing was that they didn't have to confront Amu's parents yet, since she and Utau would be leaving on a trip within a few hours.

Kukai released Utau silently and walked out the back door of the clinic, he kicked the first thing he saw in the alley, a large dumpster. The metal carcass panged loudly as his raged cry echoed throughout the otherwise silent area. He punched and kicked the dumpster numerous amount of times, letting out his anger.

Each punch and kick accented by his pained words, "Tadase, you stupid idiot, you scumbag, jerk! How could you do this? How could you, she is like my sister! You perverted idiot! Damn you! I'm going to kick your ass!"

His forward lurch was halted by a small hand on his shoulder, his wild rage filled visage clashed with the amethyst pools glittering with emotion of Utau's worried eyes. His chest heaved as he panted. Kukai turned around and pulled Utau into a bone-crushing hug without a word, she wrapped her arms around his large shoulders embracing him; a silent sob was heard from within their tight knit arms, as small tears leaked out from behind closed lids and dripped onto her uncovered shoulder.

Utau caressed his back in circular motions, "Shhh, it will be alright, we will make it alright, he will pay for what he has done, but we have to stay strong for her. Amu needs us right now Kukai, let's not show her how sorry we are for not getting there sooner and rescuing her from that monster."

He sighed and loosened his grip now only hugging her close to him, making her feel secure and reminding himself that she was here with him when he most needed it.

"I know baby girl, but I can't help but blame myself for what happened, how are we going to tell her parents? Is it a good idea to let them know right now? I mean it's not even our right to let them know; only Amu can decide about whom to tell."

"That is true"

"But I feel so bad for keeping it from them, her mother trusted me to take care of her."

"I know"

"So what do we do know?"

"We take her with us on tour and make her forget it ever happened, we can visit a good psychologist when we arrive in Amsterdam, I have a couple of days before the concert is to be held there, we can take her to see a doctor, and then we decide what to do from then on."

"It sounds like a plan."

"Yes it's actually Yukari-sempai's plan, I called her when Amu woke up and explained everything to her, and she gave me that idea."

"O.K. so we are leaving this evening?"

"Not really, I also asked Yukari-sempai to swing by my place and pick up the bags I have ready for Amu and me, we are leaving as soon as the driver arrives to pick us up and take us to the airport."

"Why so suddenly angel?" he asked as he brushed her sweaty bangs out of her face.

"I know her parents have planned to see her off at the airport, and right now she is in no form to let them see her."

"Good idea, who's ever it was."

"Yeah, thanks," she said as she idly played with his dog tags he always wore around his neck.

"What about the cars which are still parked outside and my stuff?"

"I have that covered too, I called your brothers and they have already dropped off your stuff and driven both cars back to my place,"

"Aren't you the busy beaver?" he said as she smirked and pulled him down by the titanium chain he wore his tags on, "I am, and that is why you love me so much..." she answered as met his lips with hers in a heated kiss.

A carhorn beeped outside, the limo had arrived to pick them up and drop them off at the airport.

Utau broke the kiss and nuzzled his cheek with the tip of her nose, "Our ride is here champ, let's get a move on."

"Good idea baby girl, let's go."

-------

**Meanwhile, in large plush mansion in Abu Dhabi:**

A young woman dressed in a long colorful layered skirt and a sleeveless spaghetti string top sat under the shade provided by a tree which adorned the vast gardens surrounding the mansion her parents were currently occupying, she released a growl of frustration as she tapped the "End Call" key for the tenth time and tried re-dialing her best friends number.

Even though she had meticulously kept her cell phone roaming service active in case she were to receive a call from her or feel in the need to call her to let her know she is alright, there was no way it were mere coincidence that she couldn't seem to call the small list of people she considered friends back in Japan not even Amu's number since the call would also go straight into voicemail.

She felt frustrated; no she was flat out flabbergasted of the situation at hand. Rima knew she shouldn't have trusted Utau with her precious friend, even if it were for a couple of months.

"That blond bimbo has let something happen to Amu, I just know it! The sucky part of this situation is that I am stuck playing the Arabian Princess for mom and dad for the rest of spring and summer, argh!"

A middle age Hindi woman approached the young woman lounging under the shade of the tree, offering her a tall glass of an ice chilled Perrot water. "Here you go mistress, a fresh bubbly water to be able to chill away this heat."

Rima accepted the glass of flavored water but looked off into the distance.

The maid cleared her subtly cleared her throat. Rima flashed her eyes over to her, "Yes Bindi was there something you needed to tell me?"

The maid bowed and then answered, "I see that the mistress is distressed, is there something on your mind?"

Rima sighed and slumped back against the rough bark of the tree, "I left my best friend that is going thru some personality issues back in Japan, I know something is wrong with her, and I tried to call her but she does not answer her phone, I know something has happened to her, I can feel it…"

Bindi nodded knowingly, "I bet your friendship is really deep in trust for you to feel that she is having a hard time right now, surely she will call you, and the international lines here sometimes are faulty, worry not mistress."

"Let's just hope it's that and not something bad."

The maid started walking back to the mansion with the silver platter she had bought the glass of expensive flavored bubbly water under her arm. After walking a few steps she paused and looked over her shoulder, "An early dinner will be served in the garden in ten minutes mistress Rima, please remember to wash your hands before you join the table."

Rima blinked and asked, "It's barely five o'clock Bindi why so early?"

The maid sighed not knowing how she hated being alone in the mansion, "Your mother called that she had a late business meeting trying to close a deal with a client, and your father forgot he had dinner reservations, so it would just be you at the table, there is no need to wait for them since the called to inform of not assisting to the meal."

Rima blew air thru her teeth and nodded.

'_It's just the same as in Japan when they were still together, I always had dinner by myself after mom drove me home, some family vacations these will turn out to be…'_

_-------------------_

_I do apologize for any typos or mistakes you might find._

_Please read and review!_

_Ja Ne!_

_**-Pinkit**_


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